Cotton Mill named Endangered Landmark

Indiana Landmarks on Thursday added the Eagle Cotton Mill in Madison to its annual list of the 10 Most Endangered Landmarks.

Indiana Landmarks has issued the list since 1991 to call attention to the needs of historically significant properties.

Indiana Landmarks President Marsh Davis said all of the sites have potential for revitalization, but acknowledged they can be a challenge to save. The group hopes that including them on its most endangered list will bring attention to their plight and help "find solutions that will ensure their preservation," he said.

The building, on Vaughn Drive, is making its first appearance on the list.

The Eagle Cotton Mill, also known as the Meese building, was built in 1884 and served as a twine and fabric factory that shipped goods up and down the Ohio River. The company closed in the 1980s.

Robert Przewlocki, a developer from St. Charles, Ill., purchased the property in 2007. Mayor Damon Welch said he hasn't spoken to Przewlocki about the project in more than a month, but there have been some financial hold-ups.

"His problem all along has been getting investors to partner with him on this," Welch said.

The plan is to develop the building into a hotel with restaurants and meeting rooms. Both sides seem optimistic something will come out of this plan.

"He's always been very positive in feeling it's going to happen," Welch said.

This marks the second time in three years that Madison has had a building make the list. In 2011, the DeBaptise home in Madison was placed on the list of Indiana Landmark's endangered sites.

The sites that achieve 10 Most Endangered status are significant and irreplaceable-and often challenging to save. Indiana Landmarks uses the Most Endangered list to bring attention to the imperiled sites and find solutions that will ensure their preservation.

Since the first 10 Most Endangered list was issued, Indiana Landmarks counts only 12 losses among 92 historic places in severe jeopardy that have appeared on the list.

The other sites making the 2013 edition of the list include:

 Anderson Athletic Park Pool in Anderson

 Bowen House in Delphi overlooking Deer Creek

 Brookview-Irvington Park Historic District and State Boulevard in Fort Wayne

 Flanner House Homes Historic District and Phillips Temple in Indianapolis